Aeroplane brake



June 23, gZf

J. C. HARRIS ET AL AEROPLANE BRAKE Filed Nov) 25. 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,543,566 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARRIS AND CLARENCE N. MAYFIELD, OF RICHIAND CENTER, WISCONSIN.

AEROPLANE BRAKE.

y i Application led November 23, 1923. Serial No. 676,592.

Richland Center, in the county of Richland and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines and has special reference to a brake for aeroplanes.

It is a well understood fact that the landing of an aeroplane is a critical operation and that this is especially so in making landings on restricted fieldsvas often happens when the pilot is compelled, from any cause, to make a forced landing.

One object of the pre-sent invention is to provide an improved aeroplane having a novel braking appliance adapted, when brought into service, to stop the forward movement of the aeroplane quickly and without shock.

It is also common in landing, in some instances, to make a sharp turn to the right or left to avoid obstructions.

A second important object of the invention is to provide an improved form of aeroplane braking device adapted to be used to retard the movement of one side of the aeroplane while not retarding the movement of the other side, thus causing the machine to turn sharply to the right or left, as desired.

A third object of the invention is to pro-v vide an improved wing brake for aeroplanes and an engine driven means for controlling the brake.

The use of wing brakes under certain conditions has a tendency to cause the tail of the aeroplaneto rise with the possibility of the machine turning over end for end.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of wing "brake and compensating device to prevent the pockets 15.

Figure 1 is a'perspective view of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with this invention, the view being from beneath the machine and to the rear and side thereof;

Figure 2 is a detail showing a section through the wings and also showing a portion of the fuselage with the side broken away to disclose the apparatus in the cock nit;

l Figure 3 is a perspective View of a certain gearing used herewith;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the rear portion of the fuselage showing the compensating device; and

Figure 5 is a plan of one of the cock pits, part of the fuselage being broken away.

In the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, there is shown a biplane having a fuselage or body 10, upper wings 11 and lower wings 12.l The biplane is driven by a suitable engine actuating a propeller 13, and is provided with the ordinary rudders 14.

The under side of each wing or aerofoil is vprovided with a pocket A15, which extends longitudinally of the wing and is located about half way between the leading and trailing edges. To the rear edge of each pocket is hinged a brake wing or aileron is provided at its rear edge between the hinges, with a cut out portion ,17, to the forward edge of which is hinged the forward edge of a secondary brake wing or aileron 18 normally housed in the cut out portion 17.

In one of the cock pits forward of the pilots or observers seat is positioned a platform 19 whereon are bearings 20 supporting-'a shaft 21 on which are fixed the confronting bevel gears 22. At 23 arev other bearings to which are pivotally connected the lower ends of arms 24 and 25, the latter forming operating levers. Eacharm and its corresponding arm 25 have journaled therein a shaft 26 in which is fixed a bevel gear 27 and a winding drum 28. Around each drum are wound the control cords or cables 29 which pass over idler pulleys 30 Irespectively, connecting with the main and supplemental or secondary ailerons, the arrangement being such that when the cords are Wound up the ailerons will be housed in It will now be understood that the levers 25 may be swung'in one dif rection or the other to bring the ears 27 selectively into engagement with either of' the gears 22 at will, engagement with one gear 22 serving to wind up the cords, and

. engagement with the other gear serving to unwind said cords.- The shaft 21carries a belt pulley or sproc-ket3l connected to the engine shaft (not shown) by a belt 32.

It will now be plain that either or both sets of ailerons may be dropped at the will of the pilot or observer and that the dropping of the ailerons presents a heavy head resistance to the forward movement of the aeroplane so that it may be quickly brought to rest. Moreover, if the aileron on one side only be dropped, the head resistance on that side will cause the aeroplane to turn in that direction.

In order to compensate the tendency of the tail to rise under these conditions, certain counterweight mechanism is provided as best seen in Figures 4 and 5. This mechanism includes a guide 33 extending longitudinally of the fuselage and supportinga countlerweight 34. At the forward end of' the guide is a transverse shaft 35 whereon is fixed a chain pulley 36, a similar chain pulley 37 being mounted at the rear end of said guide. Around these pulleys runs a chain 38 having its ends connected to the counterweight 34. On the shaft 35 is'fixed a second chain pulley 39 connected by a chain 40 with an operators wheel 41. Thus by rotating the wheel in one direction or the other, the counterweight may be drawn in desired direction along the guide,

' it being obivous that the further the counterweight is moved toward the rear or tail of the aeroplane the greater will be its tendency to hold the tail down. The counterweight is thus not only useful in landing.

but may also be used to assist the elevator rudder, or even to take its place in case of accident in'flying.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device -of the kind described and for the purposes specified.

It will be obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the vexact form herein shown and described, but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the 'scope claimed.

We claim:

1. Inan aeroplane having Wings, braking ailerons for each wing consisting of p plane surfaces which are hinged at their rear and end portions to the under side of the Wings, said` braking ailerons having openings through the same which are located in close proximity to the under side of the wings when Asaid braking ailerons are out of line with the under side of the wings, andsecondary ailerons hinged to the braking ailerons to-'swing in an opposite direction from the same when not overlying the openings between the wings and braking ailerons.

2. In an aeroplane, a wing having a pocket in its under side, a braking aileron having its rear edge hinged--to the rear edge of the pocket and normally housed therein, said aileron having its rear edge portion cut away between the hinged portions, a secondary aileron having its forward edge hinged to the forward edge of i the cutaway port-ion, and means to control the position of the ailerons.

3. In an aeroplane having upper and lower wings, brakin ailerons attached in pairs to the under si e of each of the wings, Y'

means for hinging the braking ailerons at their rear ends to the under side of the' wings, spaces or gaps in the braking ailerons extending from. the rear' ends thereof forwardly, and secondary ailerons hinged to swing in line with the walls of the gaps, and independent means for moving the ailerons on their hinges to change their position.

4 In a biplane, a pair of vertically spaced wings each having a pocket in itsunder side, a braking aileron for each wing having its rear edge hinged to the rear edge ofthe respective pocket and normally housed therein, each aileron having the center portion of its rear edge cut away to rovide a a in said aileron a secondar aileron filling in each of said gaps to swing into and out of alinement with the respective first aileron, and means to control the positions of the ailerons in the upper and lower wings in synchronism.

5. In a biplane, a pair of vertically spaced wings, a braking aileron for each wing having its rear edge hinged to the rear edge of the respective pocket and nor'- spaced Wings each having a pocket in itsv under side, a braking aileron for each Wing having its rear edge hingedto the rear edge of' the respective pocket and normally housed therein,each aileron having the center portion of its rear edge cut away to provide a gap in said aileron, a secondary aileron filling in each of said gaps to swing into and out of alinement with the respective first aileron, means to control the po sitions of the ailerons lin the upper and lower v' ngs ln'synchroni'sm, and a compensating reight mounted to travel longitndi portions of the. aileronsv adjacent yto tl-ie nally along the, fuselage of the aeroplane wings having gaps or openings.; supplement to eo'inpensate the tendency fot-lie elevation braking ailerons hinged to thel forward of the tail of the aeroplano c a-nsod by said walls of tliogaps and adapted vto swingin 1.5V

fg braking ailerons. an opposite direction from the) ailerons by T. In an aeroplane, braking: ailerons comwhich they are carricdfand flexible means {nisi'nfg plane surfaces which arnliingcd at `for adjusting the primary and' secondary their rear port-ionsto the, under surface ailemns independent ofeach other; of the aeorplane Wings, the connection with 1 Y v l the 'ingsz'bcing such that the front. odge n JHN HARRIS- laas a tendency to swing downward. the. CLARENCE MAYAFIELD. 

